Personal Property Taxes - Frequently Asked Questions

Personal property tax is a tax which
is based upon the value of taxable personal property. The following
types of personal property are considered taxable: motor vehicles, trailers,
mobile homes, watercraft, boat motors, aircraft, livestock, farm machinery
and equipment, and any other personal property not exempted by law.

Taxes are assessed on property owned on January 1 each year. Even if you
no longer own the vehicle, own a different vehicle, or no longer own any
vehicle, the tax is based on what was owned on January 1. The tax amount
is not prorated. The total tax amount is due upon receipt of the statement,
but no later than December 31 or late payment charges will be assessed.

Under state law taxes are due upon receipt of the tax bill but no later
than December 31.

For payments made by mail to be on time, the postmark date must be December
31 or earlier. To ensure your mailed payment is timely, contact the post
office to determine the office hours for mail cancellation. Payments placed
in post office mail drop boxes do not always receive the same day postmark.
The collector’s office highly recommends mailing several days before the
December 31 deadline.

Payments made in person are accepted during regular business hours (8am
to 5pm, Monday through Friday) at the collector’s office. Payments placed
in the collector’s drop box before midnight December 31, are timely. The
collector’s drop box is located under the shelter at the Ninth Street entrance
of the Roger B. Wilson Boone County Government Center.

If you bought your car after January 1 of last year, use last year's receipt.
Property taxes are not assessed on the new vehicle until you've owned it on
January 1. If you owned the vehicle on January 1 of last year and it is
not listed on your receipt, or is incorrect on your receipt or statement,
please contact the assessor’s Office.

Yes. Under state law, your tax obligation is established on January 1. Even
if you move to a different state the next day, you are still taxed. However,
if you move into Missouri on January 2, you are not taxed for that year.
The tax bill is not pro-rated. The entire amount is due.

If you were assessed and paid taxes in Boone County for the prior two years,
you only need the most current year’s receipt. This is because your Boone County tax receipt
shows prior years’ tax status. However, some contract fee offices require the prior two years' receipts be presented. If you were assessed in another Missouri
County, you may need to contact that county. If you cannot locate your tax
receipt for the appropriate year, please call our office, at (573) 886-4285,
for additional information.

Yes. We mail bills to the address on file. Every year mail is returned by
the post office as undeliverable because the forwarding time has expired.
Penalties will accrue and are due if the bill is not paid before January
1, whether or not the bill is received by the taxpayer. You may update
your address online with the collector's office.

The amount of tax you owe is based on the assessed value of the tangible
personal property you owned on January 1 of that year. The higher the market
value of the property, the higher the assessed value and therefore the higher
the amount due. The value of the property is determined by the county assessor
using standardized information. The assessed value of your vehicles and
other property is listed on your tax bill.

Personal Property Tax = (Assessed Value/100)
× Tax Rate

Your personal property tax is calculated by dividing the assessed value
of the property by 100, and then multiplying that value by the tax rate for
your area.

Your payment must be received by the collector or postmarked no later than
December 31. Payments received or postmarked after December 31 must include
late charges as accrued for the month of payment. Late fees go up on the
first of each month beginning January 1 until the bill is paid in full.

The Motor Vehicle Bureau will accept a non-assessment form in place of a paid
property tax receipt. This form states that you were neither assessed nor
owe taxes in Boone County. You may obtain a non-assessment form from the Assessor’s
Office if:

You are new to the state of Missouri;

You are licensing the first vehicle in your name;

And, you do not have personal property taxes due to any Missouri county.